Film credit
Gwyneth Paltrow
Stats
- Episodes featuring their films
- 6
- Movies in this archive
- 6
Rewatchables episodes featuring Gwyneth Paltrow’s films
The Talented Mr. Ripley
1999 film
Bill Simmons · Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
Aired December 24, 2019
Mentioned in discussions
Casting What-Ifs
Reported backups Gwyneth Paltrow, Hilary Swank and Renee Zellweger; Paul Rudd and Sam Rockwell for Matt
In the discussion (4)
- Paltrow, Swank and Zellweger were reportedly backups if Garner couldn't do it; neither participant thinks they work, though mid-90s Zellweger might. — Juliet Litman
- Young Jenna looks like Hilary Swank; Paltrow and Ruffalo later made a flight attendant movie that was not good. — Juliet Litman
- The casting director reportedly said Paul Rudd and Sam Rockwell were next if Ruffalo turned it down; Rudd could work. — Bill Simmons
- Test audiences reportedly hated the original young Matt and young Jenna, who were reshot with different actors. — Bill Simmons
Casting What-Ifs
Jennifer Aniston; Gwyneth Paltrow; Sadie Frost; Michael Vartan
In the discussion (4)
- Jennifer Aniston and Paltrow are reported as auditioning for Celine. — Sean Fennessey
- Michael Vartan was the other finalist for Jesse opposite Ethan Hawke.
- Sadie Frost is identified as the other female finalist. — Bill Simmons
- Vartan is judged blander than Hawke and less suited to the role's strong personality. — Sean Fennessey
Recasting Couch
Gwyneth Paltrow; Polo as sister; Brad Pitt; Seth Rogen or Seth Green; Fincher horror version
In the discussion (5)
- A Fincher horror version is imagined; Spielberg might introduce parental adultery, but the actual director is considered the right fit. — Kyle Brandt
- Gwyneth Paltrow as Pam, with her real mother already playing Dina, is favored; Polo could become the sister. — Kyle Brandt
- Brad Pitt as Kevin could exaggerate the ex-boyfriend’s intimidating perfection, while Owen Wilson’s performance remains admired. — Kyle Brandt
- Young Seth Rogen is proposed for Pam’s younger brother. — Bill Simmons
- Seth Green is the other younger-brother choice. — Bill Simmons
Casting What-Ifs
Hanks; Ryder; Harrelson; Dorothy finalists; Foxx; Jackson; uncertain Lane
In the discussion (8)
- Gooding reportedly auditioned early and remained the benchmark despite later auditions including Jamie Foxx. His voluntary decision to undress for an audition scene is corrected after a misunderstanding that he was required to. — Bill Simmons
- Gooding receiving his Oscar from Mira Sorvino is noted because she reportedly lost Dorothy when her agents requested too much money. — Bill Simmons
- Crowe reportedly wrote for Hanks and Winona Ryder; Hanks passed after the long writing process to make That Thing You Do!, and Ryder with Cruise seemed too sibling-like. Woody Harrelson reportedly rejected an offer because audiences would not care about an agent; his hypothetical casting is considered inferior to Cruise. — Bill Simmons
- Gwyneth Paltrow's reading with Cruise reportedly reminded Crowe of Annie Hall. Janeane Garofalo reportedly lost weight as requested for Dorothy but was then told she was too old. — Bill Simmons
- Jennifer Lopez auditioned, but Connie Britton was reportedly the final alternative to Zellweger. Britton's height theory and reportedly disastrous screen test are discussed without settling the reason. — Bill Simmons
- Jamie Foxx's Rod audition is revisited as a plausible different version of the role, with Willie Beamen later giving him a sports-film showcase. — Bill Simmons
- Janet Jackson reportedly auditioned and accepted Marcee before the deal fell through; Regina King replaced her and the film helped move her toward major Hollywood roles. — Bill Simmons
- Diane Lane as Avery is an uncorroborated casting rumor that excites interest; Preston's death is distinguished from Lane, who is alive.
Casting What-Ifs
Nicole Kidman; Johnny Depp; Will Smith; Cate Blanchett; Catherine Zeta-Jones; Gwen Stefani; Gwyneth Paltrow
In the discussion (4)
- Pitt and Nicole Kidman were originally cast; after Kidman left and Pitt dropped out, Depp and Will Smith were approached. — Bill Simmons
- Reported possibilities include Depp with Cate Blanchett and Will Smith with Catherine Zeta-Jones; Gwen Stefani says she came close. — Chris Ryan
- Liman reportedly wanted Gwyneth Paltrow because she and Pitt were exes; the idea of exploiting that baggage is criticized. — Bill Simmons
- Liman ultimately described using Pitt and Paltrow’s past as too much manipulation; Blanchett was unavailable because of The Aviator. — Bill Simmons
Casting What-Ifs
Johnny Depp; Jared Leto; Claire Danes; Jeremy Sisto; Billy Crudup; Gwyneth Paltrow; Winona Ryder; Matthew McConaughey; Enya; Robert De Niro
In the discussion (8)
- Johnny Depp reportedly turned down Jack over the script; Jared Leto was reportedly favored but would not audition, and the actress transcribed as Claire Daines was supposedly wanted for Rose. — Bill Simmons
- Jeremy Sisto auditioned multiple times and is lamented as never finding the right part; Billy Crudup was considered but was committed to Without Limits. — Bill Simmons
- DiCaprio excelled in testing, and Winslet reportedly lobbied hard, telling Cameron to pick DiCaprio even if not her. — Bill Simmons
- Gwyneth Paltrow and Winona Ryder were reportedly in the mix; Paltrow might have been decent but is judged too regal, and Winslet remains the best choice. — Bill Simmons
- The Cal role was reportedly offered to Matthew McConaughey, who turned it down. — Bill Simmons
- McConaughey as Cal is judged unworkable; a report that he was also offered Jack is doubted. — Bill Simmons
- Cameron reportedly wanted Enya for the music before settling on Celine Dion. — Bill Simmons
- Robert De Niro was reportedly offered Captain Smith but declined due to a gastrointestinal infection; he would have been fun in the role. — Bill Simmons
Apex Mountain
Luke and Owen Wilson; Gwyneth Paltrow (substantial case)
In the discussion (10)
- The category is jokingly renamed Mount Wilson for this episode. — Chris Ryan
- Owen Wilson released Zoolander, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Behind Enemy Lines in 2001. — Chris Ryan
- That three-film year is offered as evidence of Owen Wilson's career peak. — Chris Ryan
- Gwyneth Paltrow is proposed as an alternate Apex Mountain winner. — Andy Greenwald
- Margot Tenenbaum became an iconic visual character recognizable enough for repeated Halloween costumes. — Andy Greenwald
- Paltrow's controlled performance conveys Margot's backstory and emotional truth in each appearance. — Andy Greenwald
- Her run from Emma through The Royal Tenenbaums made her one of the largest actresses in the world. — Chris Ryan
- The Talented Mr. Ripley and her Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love are cited as part of that run. — Chris Ryan
- The Royal Tenenbaums is proposed as Paltrow's last great movie before a career increasingly built around celebrity and franchise appearances. — Chris Ryan
- The final stated agreement returns to Mount Wilson for the Wilson brothers. — Chris Ryan
In the discussion (6)
- Ben Stiller is the initial and final winner. — Andy Greenwald
- Gwyneth Paltrow is proposed as an alternate because she makes an active choice in every moment, even while doing very little. — Andy Greenwald
- The participants clarify that Paltrow's nomination is praise, using Al Pacino's Vincent Hanna as the category's positive model. — Chris Ryan
- Anderson's centered compositions, limited close-ups, and concern for movement constrain conventional overacting. — Andy Greenwald
- Stiller operates at a different frequency from the rest of the cast but makes that intensity work.
- The board-game-closet confrontation with Hackman is the main example of Stiller pushing the performance.
In the discussion (4)
- First answer: Gwyneth, an answer "we all know" was coming; a self-described Gwyneth partisan follows (speaker unresolved). — Amanda Dobbins
- After clarifying that the question is simply who won the movie rather than who got praise afterward, the answer is Gwyneth, the only one who got praise.
- Case for Garrett Hedlund: Gwyneth is known to be great and this is not among her first eight to ten roles, while it is hard to watch and not wonder why he was not a bigger star. — Bill Simmons
- The Hedlund vote is outvoted because both others said Gwyneth. — Bill Simmons
Podcast choices
- Speaker not identified
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- Speaker not identified
- Gwyneth Paltrow
In the discussion (5)
- Gwyneth Paltrow: no. — Liz Kelly
- Garrett Hedlund: this should have been his apex with Tron and Country Strong but it did not happen; his apex was probably 2004 and this was his lost Apex Mountain. — Bill Simmons
- Tim McGraw: no. — Bill Simmons
- Leighton Meester: yes, agreed, as she was in Gossip Girl season two or three. — Bill Simmons
- Country music, Nashville, and movies about alcoholic self-destructive singers who die at the end: no. — Bill Simmons
The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award
Gwyneth Paltrow in a super-drunk scene
In the discussion (1)
- Tentative pick: "probably" Gwyneth in one of the scenes when she is super drunk. — Bill Simmons
Recasting Couch
Casting left intact
In the discussion (6)
- The movie is perfectly cast and none of the top eight would be recast; names are offered for the Olivia Diabo role. — Bill Simmons
- Heather Graham is rejected, with a joke that her in this, Boogie Nights and Swingers would have meant moving to LA. — Andy Greenwald
- Kate Winslet is interesting and could probably have made it work at 20, but as a stage-style actor she might have performed the quirks and made it a different movie. — Andy Greenwald
- Diabo's gawky, flawed performance, with the retainer and the country-western dance, is imperfectly perfect for him to lose himself over.
- Joey Lauren Adams would have felt cliche; Gwyneth Paltrow, not yet famous and the right age, is called the best alternative, though her star charisma might not fit the "you didn't notice me" line. — Bill Simmons
- Samantha Mathis is probably too old; early Chloe is raised. — Bill Simmons
Films in the archive
Contagion
2011
Country Strong
2010
Iron Man
2008
Se7en
1995
The Royal Tenenbaums
2001
The Talented Mr. Ripley
1999

